Dolomiti Superski: Ski area guide

Dolomiti Superski is not a ski area in the usual sense. It is the largest ski network in Europe: a system that brings more than 1,200 km of slopes in twelve separate ski areas, served by 450 lifts, under a single ski pass, among some of the most beautiful mountains in the world.

All of this lies in the Dolomites, listed by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site in 2009: a mountain range with no rival anywhere for the shape, colour and sheer verticality of its rock towers.

The ski areas in the network

Dolomiti Superski brings together very different places, each with its own identity.

• Alta Badia (130 km) is the Ladin cultural heart of the network, home to the Gran Risa, a fixture on the alpine skiing World Cup, and some of the finest mountain food in Italy.
• Val Gardena (175 km) has the legendary Saslong, another World Cup classic, and the most modern lifts in the whole system.
• Val di Fassa-Carezza gives access to the Sella Ronda from the east, with the Catinaccio as a dramatic backdrop.
• Arabba-Marmolada is the choice of strong skiers: demanding black runs and the Marmolada glacier at 3,265 metres, the highest point in the network.
• Kronplatz (Plan de Corones) surprises with a 360° view over three mountain ranges, the Dolomites, the Zillertal Alps and the Ötztal Alps, from a perfectly flat summit.
• Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm), Europe’s largest snow-covered plateau, is the realm of cross-country skiing but also has very good downhill runs in a landscape like nowhere else.
• Cortina d’Ampezzo (120 km) brings its history and Olympic legacy to the network.
• Civetta is less well known to the general public, but offers excellent skiing on 80 km of runs, some of the most scenic in the Dolomites.

The picture is completed by San Martino di Castrozza in the Trentino Dolomites, the Tre Valli Ladinies with their genuine Ladin character, Passo San Pellegrino-Falcade as the natural link with Val di Fassa, and the eastern sector of Arabba.

The Sella Ronda

The Sella Ronda sums up the spirit of Dolomiti Superski better than anything else. It is a ski loop around the Sella massif over four historic passes, Gardena, Sella, Pordoi and Campolongo, that a good intermediate skier can complete in a single day.

You can ski it in either direction; the clockwise route generally has more technical stretches. The practical tip is to start early, around nine in the morning, to avoid the bottleneck at the Campolongo Pass, which can get serious on busy days.

The Sella Ronda is the reason many skiers across Europe plan at least one ski holiday in the Dolomites in their lifetime.

How to choose your base

It depends on what you are looking for:

• Alta Badia combines a central position in the network, Ladin food culture and an elegant atmosphere, ideal if you want to ski well and eat well.
• Val Gardena is the answer if you want the latest-generation lifts and high-quality accommodation.
• Val di Fassa has traditionally been the most affordable option, while still linking directly to the Sella Ronda.
• Arabba is for strong skiers who put black runs first and prefer a less glamorous setting.

The ski pass

Dolomiti Superski is one of the most expensive ski passes in Italy, but the huge coverage quickly makes it worth the money. It comes as a day pass, multi-day pass or season pass, with significant discounts when you buy online in advance: early booking in November and early December can bring the daily cost down considerably.

A week on Dolomiti Superski pays you back in scenery, variety of runs and easy logistics that are hard to match anywhere else in Europe.